


Where He Belongs

by hanorganaas



Series: Angst Bingo 2013 [1]
Category: Law & Order: SVU
Genre: Case Fic, Character Study, Community: angst_bingo, F/M, Off screen sexual abuse of a minor
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-06
Updated: 2013-06-06
Packaged: 2017-12-14 02:25:57
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,554
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/831648
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hanorganaas/pseuds/hanorganaas
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A sexual abuse case leads Elliot back to SVU after three years out of of the field.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Where He Belongs

**Author's Note:**

> Prompted using the "Sexual Abuse" square on Angst Bingo.

It had been Three Years six months and three days since he retired from the Police Force. Yet Elliot Stabler was still content to leave the police force with no regrets. Since then he went back to school became a social worker and was happy to work in a school setting. 

It was much different than life as a cop. For the most part helping children with special needs get the proper services in the school and mostly breaking up tensions between students was nothing like dealing with rapists and other creeps and scumbags but he enjoyed it. Finally he didn't have to deal with traumatizing events and he could come home and actually tell his family what he did that day. 

But there was something deep inside of him that missed the life as an SVU cop. He missed saving kids from abusive homes and most of all he missed making the world a little safer for his children to live their lives. But those days he shrugged it off and remember how much happier he was with his new job.

One day the old life came back to haunt him. A teacher in the third grade class said she was concerned about one of her students. She said the girl, eight years old as old as his youngest Eli was exhibiting strange behavior.  Once a happy child she became withdrawn, fearful and angry, she screamed when boys touched her, her performance became poor and finally to top the cake there was a picture she drew of what looked like her and an older man on top of her. 

He lifted his head to look at the teacher. He knew the signs well working in the Special Victims Unit...it was sexual abuse. There it was again, the adrenaline, the hatred and the nature to keep this child, this stranger he didn't know safe. With that the yearning to go back and do what he once loved to do came back as well. He had to fight it but the cop instinct was too strong for him.

"I know what's going on and people that can help."

\------------

He almost didn't want to call what were once his co workers at SVU. He remembered how shocked John Munch's voice was on the other line. The temptation that was suddenly brewing to go back to his old job would grow even more if he saw old faces that he once saw everyday.   
Nevertheless he knew despite the fact he was trained as cop and knew the procedures,if he brought down the bastard who was hurting this child on his own, all evidence would be thrown out the window. He just waited anxiously and prayed to god that the person they sent wasn't Olivia. 

"Elliot?" 

Fuck, obviously god wasn't listening for there was his old partner standing in the doorway. The fact the grin on her face told him she was obviously happy...hell, he hated to admit it but he was happy to see her too.

He almost cursed himself for smiling back as well and hugging her. It was a quick one for they were in a professional setting. 

"It's good to see you again Liv," He said.

"You too," Olivia responded, "so you called on a possible sexual abuse case?"

There was no time for small talk and asking how Kathy and the kids were. There was only time for business...understandably so. Back when they were partners they had plenty of time to talk as they moved from place to place...but now they were just....using their expertises to collaborate on a case. It wasn't the same. 

"Yeah," Elliot said, "girl, 8 years old, the moment the teacher said she was exhibiting strange behavior I knew it was a special victims case and then there's this," He paused to hand Olivia the picture the child had drew. "I'll call the kid down now.." He paused to sit at his desk pick up the phone and call the teacher as Olivia examined the picture, "Yeah....Mrs. Kennsington, Please send Andrea Markowitz to my office....yeah I got the Detective from Special Victims here....don't worry we got it."

"You still got it in you don't you El?" Olivia said with a wry smile.

It was hard to keep his own. It made him realize that the job never left him even after he quit...

\------------

When little Andrea came into the office it became further clear to Elliot that the girl was abused. She almost jumped when he went to touch her shoulder even though it was rumored that students really liked "Mr. Stabler" as their social worker.

"It's alright I am not going to hurt you," Elliot said with a kind smile he used to give all the sexually abused children that walked through the doors of SVU. Some of them were at ease others weren't Andrea was one of them who became slightly calmer. "Your teacher was very concerned about you and the picture you drew...is someone hurting you..."

The girl reacted just like the others did. She cringed slightly biting her lip at the question. At the corner of his eye he saw Olivia standing in the corner, nodding her head finally coming to the same conclusion as he did .

"It's fine you can tell me you are safe in this room," Elliot said 

"Yes..." Andrea responded quietly her eyes beginning to swell up in tears, "he touches me in places that make me uncomfortable....and he makes me do things I don't want to."

"Is it the man in the picture?" Andrea nodded. "Can you tell who he is?"

She suddenly started crying.

"He said he'd hurt my mommy if I told anyone he did it."

A typical threat of a pedophile. He suddenly felt the familiar rage he often felt against such predators. A feeling he actually appreciated for once. Maybe because he hadn't felt it in such a long time. 

"Andrea," Elliot said now rubbing her shoulder in a reassuring motion before turning his head towards Olivia, "this is my friend Olivia. She's a cop....she and her friends will make sure this man doesn't hurt you or anyone else again."

She gave Andrea a reassuring smile, before walking over to her as well.

"It's my job to keep you safe and other young girls who are dealing with this problem safe." Olivia said, "would  you like to continue this in my office....that place keeps bad men like him out of there."

Andrea nodded her head eagerly. Soon Olivia was ushering the girl out the door. Before she left she turned to face Elliot.

"I'll call the girl's mother," Elliot said, "keep me updated. Okay?"

"I will," Olivia responded, "It was good seeing you again."

"You too."

And as Olivia walked out the door he managed to catch the look on Andrea's face. For the first time since the little girl walked in this office she probably felt safe. And knowing he somewhat aided in that safety he felt a sense of joy and satisfaction knowing he someone helped make sure this girl would never be hurt again...and it plus seeing Olivia again made him realize how much he missed it.

\------------

"How would you feel if I started working at SVU again?"

The question made Kathy almost choke on her food. In the almost four years since Elliot quit she did not expect him to even think about working there again. It seemed to be an ultimatum.

"I guess that's a no," Elliot said before taking a bite of his pasta.

"No I am just shocked," Kathy said, "you seemed to be done for good, what made you change your mind."

"Well there was a girl....Eli's age. It was obvious she was abused....Olivia came."

Kathy rolled her eyes and chuckled.

"Of course Olivia would be involved in this."

It took a long time for Kathy to accept Olivia in his life. Especially since Elliot had a platonic love for his partner. At this point in their life and so far in their marriage she had to accept Olivia would always be the other special lady in Elliot's life. Especially now.

"So you're on board with me going back?"

"I knew while you love your new job, you would never be truly happy unless you were back in SVU...and I knew one day you would want to go back...don't let your mistake keep you from doing what you truly love. I am on board with you 100 %."

Elliot smiled.

"I'll call Cragen in the morning. See if he can get me my old spot back."

\------------

Elliot finished putting up the finishing touches to his desk. As he put the last picture up he smiled. 

"There," he said, "it is as if I never left." 

Olivia lifted her head from her papers and smiled at her partner. It was like he never left...she never thought she would be seeing his across from her seat never again but to have what seemed impossible was a pleasant and warm feeling.

"It's good to have you back."

He smiled, for the first time in a long time Elliot was in his proper place.

"Trust me Liv....it FEELS really good to BE back."


End file.
